Days before Texans head to the polls to decide on a new bail reform law, we have another glaring example of why it is needed. A woman with multiple convictions and nine felony bonds, including one for aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, is still free after judges in Harris and Brazoria County declined to revoke her probation. Juanetta Solomon was on probation for prior convictions on theft, drug, and fraud charges when she was charged with aggravated assault with a deadly weapon and practicing dentistry without a license in Harris County last year. Still, Harris County District Judge Josh Hill allowed her to remain free on bond.
Cases like this are the reason Texas lawmakers passed a bail reform package earlier this year. Part of that package, Prop 3, will be on this fall's ballot. It amends the Texas Constitution to allow judges to deny bail for suspects charged with serious or violent offenses. That would apply to Solomon. "We have an individual here that continues to violate laws, continues to be on probation and violate her probation by committing new crimes, and nobody is revoking her bond," says April Aguirre, crime victims advocate. "Why? Because we have sympathy in the system for individuals that do not deserve it, so crime pays in Harris County."
Passing bail reform law is an important step in fixing this issue, but the ultimate responsibility still lies with the judges who make the final decision. "We have a whole list of judges who are just rogue, and Josh Hill is on that list," says Aguirre. "A lot of these judges that were elected in '22 are gonna come up for reelection next year, so now is the time to flush them out."
"I don't believe this should be about Republicans or Democrats," she continues. "It should be about getting people in there that want to uphold the law."
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